A New Ending

Hi, I'm sharing another journal page over at Art Journal Journey where Alison's theme this month has been Geometric shapes.
I started this spread before I went to Barcelona, but wasn't happy with it, so it just sat there!  Anyhow, with just 1 day left, I decided to try again.  I quite liked my idea of the graffiti on the wall and Mr UM walking off to find his 'new ending' but that was where it ended.
So I ripped the page out, restamped Mr UM, added my geometric doorway, but this time taking him 'through' the wall without the busyness of  my original page.  Which - warts and all - I'll show!!!  gasp! horror!

As you see, I'm still learning/experimenting,  and now I'm wondering if the new page is too plain?

Thanks for calling in,
Avril xx

Flying By

Hello, I'm sharing another card for our current challenge at Try it on Tuesday, where the theme this fortnight is 'Time Flies' and as usual, it's up to you how you interpret the theme.

My second make for this challenge is more feminine, and I've used the Tim Holtz paper dolls again.
I've just bought the new Sizzix Organic die and after cutting I glued it to a piece of textured card, painted it with a mix of blue and grey.  When dry, it was inked over with Chipped Sapphire DI and the pattern highlighted with gesso, applied with my finger.  This frame has been in my stash since forever, so I sprayed it with Chipped Sapphire stain, and the sentiment, a freebie, was heat embossed with Silver EP.
The base card was dipped in mix of Frayed Burlap, Broken China and Peacock feathers Oxide inks and then stamped with script, in Watering Can Archival.  It looked a little bare, so I added some wildflowers.
You still have another week to join in and you can find all the details here.


We're forecast snow today, so after some morning shopping I'll be staying nice and warm in the craft room.
Have a great day whatever you're doing.
Avril xx

Let's Celebrate

Hello and thanks for calling in,  things have been a little quiet around here, I just needed time to recover after my trip to Barcelona with DD - lots and lots of walking, sightseeing and shopping.
So after a request for a 'girly' card for DD I thought I better get my act together!

I've used one of my Tyvek papers that I use in my homemade spray box, I've stamped the Dancing Lady from Rubber Dance and coloured their dresses with Seedless Preserves DI I added Frosted Lace stickles for a touch of sparkle.  The music notes and sentiment were freebie stamps with a magazine.

I am entering this at Stamping Sensations - Fabulously Feminine

While in Barcelona we visited the Sagrada Famillia, I was absolutely blown away by this, the lights from the stained glass windows just seemed to illuminate the whole place.

                                                                This is the ceiling,

The Nativity Façade, we actually went up one of the towers, there is a lift but it's a spiral staircase on the way down.

We did return at night for this spectacular view

 We also visited Casa Batllo with it's mosaic façade and a fabulous interior

 And went up on the roof of the Cathedral for some amazing views.

The weather was very mild and sunny and we had a whole day at  Park Guell with it's meandering strange walkways and Gaudi houses.

Thanks for stopping by and hopefully, normal service will resume.
Avril xx

Time Flies

Time Flies is the new challenge at Try it on Tuesday this fortnight and we would like to see your  Time related projects.

I've made a card  showing the passing of time and used stamps from an old PaperArtsy set, as I think it's a great quote.

The stamping is done with Potting Soil Archival, the background was distressed with Vintage Photo and Walnut stain inks and quite a bit of water.  The raised areas of the EF were distressed with Walnut stain, a good backdrop for my paper dolls.

The rest of the design team have some great takes on this theme, so please pop over to the main blog to see what they have been making.

I am entering this at -
  Allsorts - Make it Masculine
  Double D - Looking Back in Time

Thanks for calling in,

Avril xx

Anything Goes at FSC

Hello, it's the first challenge of 2019 over at Fashionable Stamping Challenges and we've got a nice easy one for you as Shirley has chosen  Anything Goes - as long as you include stamping as a focal point.

I've used Tim Holtz Glorious Bouquet and only stamped in part of the image with Black Versafine and then coloured with Distress inks.  The sentiment is from Visible Image.  I've added some subtle stencilling in the background using the TH Nordic stencil with Frayed Burlap.

The rest of the DT have some fabulous inspiration for you, so please pop over to the main blog, where you will also find all the challenge details, and details of our Sponsor Ink Art Designs who are offering one lucky random winner a stamp from the online shop.

Thanks for calling in, and as this is a scheduled post, I'll catch up with you  when I get back from my 'girly' break with DD.

Have a great week,
Avril xx

Embrace It!

Hello and thanks for calling in, I've managed a little play time to join in over at Art Journal Journey where the theme this month is Geometric Shapes chosen by Alison.

I've used a stamp and stencils that came free with a magazine,  I thought the lady looked a bit confused so I thought these Tim Holtz quotes seemed perfect.

Just a short post, I'm trying to get organised, I'm having a week away in Barcelona with DD - and leaving hubby behind!  I wonder, will he cope?

Thanks for calling in and have a great day,
Avril xx

Old meets New

Hello, it's the first challenge of 2019 at Try it on Tuesday and we've got a nice one for you - Something New/Something Old.  So if you were lucky to get new crafting goodies for Christmas, we would like to see what Santa brought you - or if you weren't lucky and Santa thought you had enough - well you can still play along and show us your old stash, just tell us what you're using.

I've used the TH Botanical 3D folder, which is new, I sanded the raised area and swiped Antique Linen Oxide over, then swiped Versamark and sprinkled with Gold embossing powder, although this doesn't show in the photo.  I've made a frame with the TH Stacked Postage dies which was a Christmas present, this was cut with the same navy co-ordinations card.  I originally used Aquamarine Treasure Gold, then decided to stamp over with the Nordic background and heat embossed this with gold EP.

I need a special girly card for my DIL, so I've used  a lovely old Graphic 45 Couture stamp, fussy cut and coloured with DIs with a little bit of sparkle added.

The rest of the DT have some fabulous makes, so please pop over to the main blog to see what they've been up to.

  I am entering this at Stamping Sensations - Fabulously Feminine

Thanks for calling in,
Avril xx

Vintage Love

Hello and Happy New Year, I hope you had a lovely festive break, but if you're like me, I'm looking forward to getting back to normal.  I've now made an attempt to restore order to my craft room after  the mess I left it in before Christmas, well, enough of an attempt to give me space to make a much needed card.

I'm really going to make the effort to use neglected stamps and all the bits and pieces stored away in boxes, so for starters I found this Kaisercraft stamp 'Botanical' which has only been used once or twice.  I've coloured it with distress markers and layered with book paper and bits of ephemera. keeping the tones neutral for a vintage look.

I am entering this at
   Watercooler Challenges - Feminine Anything Goes
  Artistic Stamper - Anything Goes


Well, that's  a start to 2019, let's hope it's a creative one.
Have a great weekend.
Avril xx